Crib rocker



J. TONKIN CRIB ROCKER July 28, 1959 Filed 00L 19. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FVG. i..

CRIB ROCKER `Iosephine Tonkin, Winnemucca, Nev.

Application October 19, 1956, Serial No. 617,163

1 Claim. (Cl. 5-109) This invention appertains to improvements in cribs and particularly relates to a novel rocking crib.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a sturdly constructed rocking crib, which is extremely strong and yet which can be easily rocked for effecting a smooth rocking action to lull an infant to sleep.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of means for insuring an even rocking of the crib and for providing a dependable lock, resisting the rocking of the crib by an infant positioned therein but permitting a smooth and even rocking of the crib by a motor and drive means.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a sturdy base structure, which underlies the crib structure, the base structure and crib structure having cooperating means for providing the rocking motion of the crib and the base structure housing an electric motor and drive means for rocking the crib.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a base structure, which underlies a crib structure and which is so constructed, in association with the crib structure, that a large storage space is provided underneath the crib for the storage of various objects, which storage has no effect on the drive means or on the rocking action of the crib.

The foregoing and ancillary objects are attained by this invention, the preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the rocker crib of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View thereof;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View, taken online 3-3 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the rocker crib includes a crib structure 12, which consists of opposing solid end walls 14 and 16 and opposing side walls 18 and 2i), one of which is vertically slidable on rods 22.

Rocker bars 24 and 26 are transversely secured to the inside surface of each of the end walls 14 and 16. The rocker bars 24 and 26 are disposed above the lower ends of the end walls and are provided with flat upper ends 28 and arcuate lower ends 30. Angle irons-32 are fixed to the rocker bars by suitable fastening means attaching the vertical flange of the angle bars to the faces of lthe rocker bars. The free edge of the vertical iiange of the angle irons is disposed coplanar with the at upper end 28 of the rocker bars, while the horizontal iange 34 extends outwardly from the faces of the rocker arms towards the center of the crib structure. The horizontal flanges 34 are provided with apertures 36 for a purpose to be described.

A base structure 38 is provided and includes a flat bottom wall 4G that underlies the crib and is positioned Sttes Patent within the confines of the crib structure. The bottom Wall 40 is provided with upstanding side walls 42 and upstanding end walls 44, the walls being connected and having coplanar upper edges. The end walls 44 are formed with widely spread feet 46, which rest on a floor surface.

A partition 48 is transversely mounted in the base structure and divides the base structure into a motor and drive compartment and into a storage compartment 50. In the latter respect, side walls 52 and 54 are provided for the compartments and are carried by the crib structure, as shown in Figure 4. The lower ends of the side walls 52 and 54 extend at least to the upper edges of the walls of the base structure, so as to completely enclose the space beneath the crib structure and above the base structure. The side wall V54 is preferably detachably secured to the crib structure, so that access may be had to the storage compartment, which is provided for the storage of objects, such as blankets or the like.

Means is provided for etfecting a rocking movement of the crib structure on the end walls 44 of the base structure and includes an electric motor.49 which is bolted on the bottom wall 38 of the base structure and is provided with a suitable gear reduction unit 51. Through an eccentric connection S3 and a pin 55, which extends through an upstanding ear 56 on the horizontal ange 34 of one of the angle irons, the drive from the motor is transmitted to the crib structure for moving the crib structure back and forth on the end walls. It is to be noted that the upstanding ear 56, to which the drive is connected, is disposed at one end of the angle iron.

Means is provided for insuring an even rocking of the crib and for also providing an effective lock to resist the rocking of the crib by a baby positioned therein. Such means includes a locking and darnpening structure at each end of the base structure. Since the construction is the same, only one will be described in detail. In this regard, attention is directed to Figure 4, wherein it will be noted that rods 58 and 60 upstand from the bottom wall 38 and are disposed in transversely spaced relationship. The upper ends of lthe rods slide through the apertures 36 in the horizontal ilanges 34 of the angle iron. The lower ends of the rod elements are suitably anchored to the bottom wall, while the upper ends are provided with heads 62. Coil springs 64 are circumposed on the rod elements and are positioned intermediate the bottom wall and the underside of the flange 34.

Due to the positioning of the rod elements and the counterbalancing etect of the springs, it can be seen that the crib will remain stationary and will be resistant to any rocking action, when the motor is not in operation. It is lto be particularly noted that the rods and springs are disposed on opposite sides of the center portion of the arcuate edge 30 of the rocker bars.

While the preferred embodiment of this invention has been described and shown herein, other forms may be realized, within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A crib rocker comprising a crib structure including a bottom support on which a mattress is adapted to be placed, upstanding end walls extending above and below the bottom support, rockers provided transversely on the end walls adjacent the lower ends thereof, said rockers having `arcuate under surfaces, plate elements on the rockers and extending towards the center of the crub structure, a base structure underlying the crib structure and including a bottom wall and end Walls, said end Walls having ground engaging means and having flat v upper ends on which the arcuate under surfaces of the rockers seat, said base structure also having upstanding side Walls forming with the bottom wall and the end Walls a compartment, rod elements iixedly upstandingfrom the bottom wall adjacent the end walls of the crib structure, said plate elements having apertures through which the rod elements slidably extend, said rod elements having stops on their upper ends, coil springs'disposed around the rod elements and bearing against the bottom wall and the under side of the plate elements and means mounted on the bottom wall of the base structure and operatively connected to at least one of the rockers for rocking the crib structure on the base structure, said crib structure having side walls which depend Vfrom the bottom support and which, in the normal position of the crib structure, are disposed vertically outwardly of the side walls on the base structure and terminate in a plane sightly below the plane in which the upper ends of the side walls of the base structure terminate said side walls of the crib structure being at least coextensive in length witn the side walls of the base structure and extending below the upper edges of the side Walls of the base structure so as to hide from view any articles positioned Within the compartment of the base structure.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

